Events

Giants Come From Behind To Hand Rockies Third Straight Loss

Brett Pill of the San Francisco Giants slides home safely to score around the tag of catcher Wilin Rosario of the Colorado Rockies in the eighth inning at Coors Field on September 17, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Brett Pill of the San Francisco Giants slides home safely to score around the tag of catcher Wilin Rosario of the Colorado Rockies in the eighth inning at Coors Field on September 17, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

DENVER (AP) — Carlos Beltran had an RBI double in a four-run eighth inning and the San Francisco Giants extended their winning streak to seven games with a 6-5 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night.

The Giants moved five games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West with 10 games to play after Arizona lost at San Diego.

The Giants are also five games behind the Atlanta Braves in the wild-card race where they are third and trail the St. Louis Cardinals by a half game.

Huston Street, (1-4) pitching in a set-up role after Rafael Betancourt took over as the closer in mid-August while Street was on the disabled list, gave up a leadoff single to Andres Torres in the eighth.

Gomez had gone 2 for 3 in his first major league start, one night after his major league debut, but Casilla struck him out to end the game.

Waldis Joaquin (1-0) retired the two batters he faced in the eighth to earn the victory.

The Rockies’ sixth-inning rally began with one out when Gomez singled for his first major league hit and pinch hitter Kevin Kouzmanoff singled. The runners moved up on a double steal with Eric Young Jr. in the process of drawing a walk.

Dexter Fowler singled home two runs, but was thrown out trying to take second after Young beat right fielder Beltran’s throw to third. Guillermo Mota escaped further damage by striking out Jordan Pacheco.

Drew Pomeranz, one of the key pieces in the trade this summer that sent ace Ubaldo Jimenez to the Cleveland Indians, made his second start for the Rockies and second in the majors.

After throwing 63 pitches in his major league debut Sunday, his pitch limit was about 20 pitches higher. He walked DeRosa with two outs in the sixth and was taken out after throwing 85 pitches.

Matt Belisle relieved Pomeranz and Pill, the first batter he faced, drove a ball over the head of Wigginton, who started his second game of the season in right field and first at Coors Field.

Wigginton got too close to the fence, enabling Pill to get a triple as the ball rebounded away from Wigginton. Belisle then got Orlando Cabrera to ground out.

The Giants scored a run in the second when Justin Christian singled off the glove of third baseman Pacheco with one out. He took third on a ground out and came home when pitcher Eric Surkamp lined a first-pitch single past Pomeranz for his first hit and first RBI in the majors.

It was the first run Pomeranz allowed after 16 scoreless innings to start his career in the Rockies organization.

Fowler walked with two outs in the fifth and stole second.

Pacheco, making his ninth major league start and batting third for the first time, won an eight-pitch encounter and singled home Fowler.

Jason Giambi followed with a single, sending Pacheco to third. Wigginton walked to load the bases. It was Surkamp’s sixth walk and his final batter in a 98-pitch outing.

Surkamp gave up a two-out double in the second to Wilin Rosario. But after intentionally walking Gomez, Surkamp struck out Pomeranz.

Notes: Giants outfielder Cody Ross, who came out of Friday’s game in the sixth, underwent an MRI that confirmed a strained right hamstring. He’s expected to miss about a week. … Rockies manager Jim Tracy said center fielder Dexter Fowler would not be in the lineup Sunday. He has started every game since Aug. 15. … Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (left hip), first baseman Todd Helton (back) and right fielder Carlos Gonzalez (right wrist) didn’t play. Tulowitzki has missed four straight games and six of the past eight. Helton has missed four straight games and 10 of the past 12 games, and Gonzalez missed his second straight game. … Brian Wilson (right elbow inflammation) was scheduled to throw Saturday, and manager Bruce Bochy said there was a chance he could be activated Sunday. He has been on the disabled list retroactive to Aug. 16. … Giants pitcher Jonathan Sanchez (left ankle sprain) could throw off a mound Monday or Tuesday, Bochy said, and might pitch “an inning or so” before the season ends. … Esmil Rogers, who is 6-5 with a 5.88 ERA overall but 1-2 with a 9.86 ERA at Coors Field, will start for the Rockies. Matt Cain, who is 11-10 with a 2.79 ERA will make his 26th career start against the Rockies and fourth this season. He’s 12-7 with a 3.16 ERA against the Rockies.